Y’all gonna get yourselves killed trying to play hero. Learn to defend yourself but some of y’all know damn well you would snap-freeze in an actual fight in which your opponent is armed and ready to kill and you aren’t. Because most combat training isn’t even about being able to fight, it’s training your instincts to resist the ‘flight’ part of fight or flight because believe me that’s what gets people’s ass best most of the time. Not being able to channel that adrenaline and control themselves. And you have to be able to think quickly in a situation where you are liable to fucking die.
I’ve been shot at and I’ve done combat training and I have friends who have too and y’all are really gonna get someone killed having them think taking a handful of classes makes them combat ready.
Muse and I were talking about this on twitter – you don’t have to take the “warrior” in SJW literally, and in fact you SHOULDN’T.
Better plan – aim to be a Social Justice Cleric. Find information on basic first aid, take a class if you can, find out common first aid items you can carry in a backpack or small bag. Be prepared to help people who are hurt instead of trying to get yourself killed.
Also white folks, keep these ideas in mind:
And for fucks sake, don’t agitate if you might get black and brown protesters in trouble.
the advice about dressing to make best use of your privilege is REALLY GOOD. Dress for your audience! Your audience is not your fellow protesters. You audience is anyone who is NOT SURE YOU’RE THE GOOD GUYS YET. Dress to convince those people you’re the good guys. The us/them thing is basic and instinctive. Dress to make as many people as possible go “oh, they’re US, I can see myself in this crowd, I am not alienated by these people, I will maybe act alongside them.”
I mean, we the anti-nazi brigade are morally correct and on the right side of history, but we need numbers. You gotta get the undecideds on board.
The Wall of Privilege is actually a pretty good idea. Especially since, when protests get hairy, white people are not the communities government and law enforcement usually crack down on. Good way of using privilege that doesn’t have unintended consequences for anybody else.
Thoughtfulfangirling 